Mega-donors turn to Calif., Texas

Big-dollar donors are unleashing a torrent of cash into California and Texas House races as those mega-states’ primaries approach, a spending spree designed to exert their influence and tip control of the lower chamber in their favor.

California’s remade political map and Texas’s booming population have created a slate of opportunities for Republicans and Democrats to pick up seats in the hard-fought battle for the House. And super PACs and other outside groups — unbridled in the new era of unlimited political spending — have responded emphatically.

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In some cases the mega-donors are outspending the candidates themselves.

Third party groups poured more than $423,000 into House races in Texas between May 17 and May 24 alone. The Lone Star State will hold its primary on Tuesday. Another $845,000 gushed into House races in California ahead of its June 5 election during the same period.

The spending deluge underscores the importance outside groups and their deep-pocketed supporters have placed on both states. Texas picked up a quartet of new districts thanks to redistricting, increasing the state’s delegation from 32 seats to 36. California’s redictricting process upended the state’s 53-district congressional map, suddenly putting in play at least a handful of seats that had been in firm Democratic or Republican control.

“There are a lot of races up for grabs,” said Ace Smith, a political adviser to California Gov. Jerry Brown and a longtime Democratic political consultant in the Golden State. “The money is flowing.”

In California, the National Association of Realtors has spent more than $700,000 defending GOP Rep. Gary Miller, who’s facing a Republican opponent. The group has spent almost as much as both GOP candidates combined.

In another California race, House Majority PAC, a Washington, D.C.-based Super PAC that backs Democratic House candidates, has spent around $500,000 in support of Democrat Julia Brownley — a figure that dwarfs what each of the three leading candidates in the race has spent.

The temptation for outsiders to spend California is irreistable: The state is poised for a major shake-up after offering its House incumbents nearly unparalleled political stability in recent years. Under a congressional map that was redrawn by a newly-installed independent redistricting commission, nearly one-fifth of the state’s seats do not have a sitting incumbent.

“The new lines have created a lot of uncertainty, and people think there are opportunities that didn’t exist in the past,” said Dave Gilliard, a Republican consultant in California who advises several members of the GOP delegation. Gilliard is also working for a newly-formed outside group called Jobs, Opportunity, and Freedom Political Action Committee, a pro-business outfit that is spending on behalf of several Republican candidates in the state.

California’s new primary system has only intensified the urgency of the late cash push. Under the new top-two primary, the two highest vote-getters on June 5 will advance to the general election, regardless of which party they belong to. With many large fields of candidates competing, there’s pressure on candidates and their supporters to ensure they make it to November.

House Majority PAC has been racing to air TV ads in support of Brownley, who is seeking a Ventura County-area congressional seat. Brownley, a state assemblywoman, is facing off against a well-known Republican and independent, in addition to several lesser-known Democratic candidates. Democrats are anxious that the party could splinter the primary vote and not send any of their candidates to the final round in November.